Surface marker



A.- J. GOGGANS SURFACE MARKER June 5, 1962 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 50, 1959 June 5, 1962 A. J, GoGGANs SURFACE MARKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 30, 1959 United States Patent O 3,037,235 SURFACE MARKER Andrew J. Goggans, Long Beach, Calif. Loma Alta Ave., Los Gatos, Calif.) Filed Mar. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 802,676 9 Claims. (Cl. 15-503) This invention relates to surface marking machines and particularly to a simplified surface striper for uniformly rolling paint stripes of la desired width on a horizontal surface.

In the prior art, surface stripers which were used for forming stripes on horizontal surfaces such as streets, parking lots or playgrounds were either complicated and expensive in construction or were unreliable in operation. One prior art surface striper which includes a pressure sprayer operating with a gasoline engine is a complex device and has a further disadvantage of being heavy and requiring a wide passage for being moved along a horizontal surface. This pressure sprayer device is too heavy and complex to accurately form curved stripes. Other disadvantages of this pressure spray device are that it forms paint stripes -with uneven edges and provides unreliable means for adjustment of the width of the stripe. Another prior art surface striping device includes a horizontal brush moved along the horizontal surface with the brush haw'ng a paint receptacle along its longitudinal axis and a plur-ality of openings therefrom to the bristles. This device has the disadvantages of not providing a means to control the paint ilow, thus resulting in stripes of nonuniforrn thickness, of forming stripes with uneven edges, and of having a short operative life because of the wear which the brushes are subjected to.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified device for striping a horizontal surface.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simpliiied and easily operable surface striper which acts to form a paint stripe on a horizontal surface that is uniform in thickness and which has even edges when forming either straight stripes or curved stripes.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a surface striping machine which is simply and reliably convertible to form a stripe of any desired width.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device for striping a surface with paint, which device acts to form uniform stripes on a rough surface, without excessive wear of the device.

According to one feature of this invention a simplified surface striping device is provided for forming uniform and even stripes of paint or other marking material on a horizontal surface. The surface striper includes a frame composed of a platform at the top and two vertical plates afiixed thereto on different sides having wheels for moving along the horizontal surface. An operating handle tube is mounted to the frame with a crossbar type handle at the end thereof for manual oper-ation. A paint receptacle is mounted to the frame with an opening through a ange at the bottom thereof extending into an opening in the frame. The opening in the frame connects with a valve means including a rod extending through the handle and being adjustable therefrom for controlling the paint flow. Mounted to the platform below the valve outlet is a spreader device having a slot for allowing the paint to overow therefrom along a desired width between the plates. An axle mounted cylindrical feed roll is mounted between the plates below the slot for receiving paint therefrom and being freely movable in a vertical direction. Between the bottom of the plates, a first and a second paint roller are mounted for rolling on the horizontal surface as the paint striper is ICC moved forward. One of the paint rollers is positioned on each side of a Vertical plane along the axis of the feed roller for jointly supporting and transmitting rotational movement to the feed roller. Thus, as the surface striper is pushed along the horizontal surface, paint from the feed lroller is distributed to the first and second paint rollers without bunching of paint and is transferred uniformly to the horizontal surface. Because the paint rollers roll along the horizontal surface, they have a long life. The spreader device, feed roller and first and second paint rollers are mounted to be easily removable for substituting other rollers to form a stripe of any desired width.

The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its organization and method of operation, will best be understood from the accompanying description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:

FIG. l is a side elevation view of the paint striper device of this invention having parts broken away to show the valve means, the slotted spreader device and the rollers;

FIG. 2 isa sectional view of the paint striper taken at line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a plan View showing the paint container with its lid removed and showing the operating handle tube and the crossbar handle;

FIG. 4 is a perspective sectional View of the valve passages in the platform of the roller mounting frame of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is a View taken at lines 5-5 of FIG. l to show the. rod controlling slot in the operating handle tube.

Referring first to FIG. l which is a side elevation view of the surface striper with parts broken away to show the controllable valve means, the slotted spreader and the rollers and referring to FIG. 2 which is a sectional View taken at lines` 2 2 of FIG. 1, the surface striper of this invention will be described. The surface striper includes a mounting frame 10 having a horizontal platform 12 and vertical plates 14 and 16 extending down from each side of the platform 12, as shown in FIG. 2. The platform 12 and the vertical plates 14 and 16 may be a single aluminium casting. The mounting frame 10 has an operating handle tube 17 mounted thereto, which will be described in detail subsequently, to provide a means to push the paint striper along a horizontal surface 19 in a forward direction, as indicated by an arrow 22.

The frame 10 is moved along the surface 19 on a pair of wheels 24 and 26 which are mounted to the vertical plates 14 and 16 of the frame 10y in a rearward position and a caster wheel 40 mounted to the frame 16 in a forward position. The wheels 24' and 26 are mounted to the frames 14 and 16 with suitable axles 30 and 32 upon which the wheels rotate. The axles 30 and 32 may be trapped into the vertical plates 14 and 16 and may include suitable wheel retaining nuts 36 and 38. The caster wheel 40 includes a mounting rod fitted into a suitable hole in the vertical plate 16.

Paint or other suitable fluid is stored in a receptacle or paint container 42 which has its bottom mounted on the platform l2 by bolts 44 and 46 tapped into the platform 12. The paint container 42 includes four side walls 47, 48, 50 and S2 with the side 47 having an indented wall 55, as will be described in detail subsequently, for providing a space for the handle 17 to pass from the platform 12. The paint container 42 may also be constructed as a single casting of aluminum. The paint container 42 includes a lid plate 56 mounted to the container by a suitable hinge 58. Thus the lid may be raised to pour paint in the container 48 as indicated by the dottedI lines 60.

The bottom of the paint container 42 includes a paint outlet opening 62 which may be a hole bored therethrough. The lower part of the opening 62 is formed through a flange 63 extending below the lower surface of the bottom of the container 42.

Referring now also to FIG. 3 which is a top view of the surface striper of this invention with the lid plate 56 removed, the indented wall 55' of the paint container 42 will be further explained. The wall 47 includes at its center an indented wall 55 portion which extends from the side wall 47 to the bottom of the paint container 42 at a position approximately two thirds of the width of the bottom from the side wall 47 to the side wall 48. The indented wall 55 looking from the handle 17 forms a U- shaped opening outside of the receptacle to form a space for the handle 17. Thus, looking into the paint container from the top in FIG. 3, the bottom of the paint container 42 upon which the paint rests is U-shaped while the top of the paint container 42 is rectangular as formed by the side walls 47, 4S, 50 and 52. The outlet opening 62 at the bottom of the paint container 42 is shown in FIG. 3 in its position centered between the side walls 50 and 52. The handle tube 17, includes a crossbar handle 64 which may be a pipe welded to the handle 17.

Referring now back to FIGS. l and 2, the platform 12 includes a first bore hole 66 which is a hole bored or formed from the top of the platform 12 approximately three-fourths of the distance therethrough and having its center coincident with the center of the outlet opening 62 of the paint container 42. As seen in FIG. 2, the bore hole 66 and the outlet opening 62 are centered between the plates 14 and 16.

The platform 12 has attached thereto an upper extension 68 and a lower extension 70 which may be cast as an integral part of the platform 12 of the mounting frame 10. A valve rod hole 72 is bored or formed through the extensions 68 and 70 at approximately a 45 angle with the top surface of the platform 12 looking from the side of the mounting frame 10. A connecting hole 67 is bored or formed from the bore hole 66 so as to connect at right angles with the valve rod hole 72.

A valve rod 74 is provided with one end extending through the valve rod hole 72 and the other end extending through the handle tube 17 and crossbar handle 64. In the end of the valve rod 74 extending through the valve rod hole 72 is a bore hole 76 extending inward beyond the position of the bore hole 67. A paint control hole 78 is bored or formed in the outer surface of the valve rod 74 to the bore hole 76 so as to be connectable and alignable with the connecting hole 67. The paint control hole 7S is positioned in the rod 74 so as to align with the hole 67 when the rod 74 is turned in the valve rod hole 72 to a desired full open position. It is to be noted that the paint control hole 7S and the connecting hole 67 are of the same diameter to provide an open path for paint ow when the valve rod 74 is turned to the full open position. Also as may be seen in FIG. l, the operating handle tube 17 is fitted over the upper extension 68 and is held in position by a suitable bolt 69 tapped through the tube 17.

Referring now to FIG. l and to FIG. 4 which is a sectional perspective View showing the valve arrangement in the platform 12, the valve control device of this invention will be described in greater detail. The bore hole 66 is shown with the connecting hole 67 formed in its wall. The connecting hole 67 is formed at an angle with the wall of the bore hole 66 so that it may be drilled through the hole 66 from the top of the platform 12. The top projection 68 and the bottom projection 70 are shown with the valve rod hole 72 bored therethrough. The valve rod 74 is shown in position with the paint control hole 78 aligned with the connecting hole 67, which condition is the full paint ow position for paint to pass into the rod hole 76. A portion of a paint spreader 80, which will be described subsequently, is shown tted to the lower projection 70.

The operation of this valve arrangement will now be described in detail. The paint passes freely through the bottom opening 62 (FIG. l) and into the bore hole 66. The paint then passes through the connecting hole 67 as shown by arrows 81 and 82. From the connecting hole 67, the paint then passes through the paint control hole 78 as shown by an arrow 84 and through the rod hole 76 as shown by an arrow 86 and out the end thereof and into the paint spreader 80, as will be described subsequently. When the rod 74 is rotated so the hole 78 is not aligned with the hole 67, the paint flow may be varied or completely shut off. Thus, a controllable paint supply is provided.

A feature of this invention is that the valve arrangement including the rod 74 is controllable from the handle 64. The valve rod 74 at the end extending through the crossbar handle 64 has an adjusting end 65 (FIGS. l and 2) which may be an extension welded to the end of the rod 74 with its centerline at right angles to the longitudinal centerline of the rod 74. Thus an operator may simply and easily adjust the paint ow from the crossbar 64 by rotating the rod 74 by moving the adjusting end 65.

In order to limit the rotation of the rod 74, a bolt 88 is tapped into the rod as may be seen in FIG. l and in FIG. 5 which is a sectional view taken at line 5 5 of FIG. l. The operating handle tube 17 has a horizontal slot 90 formed on its side so the bolt 88 can move freely as the rod is rotated. The slot 90 passes around the tube 17 a required distance and has a position relative to the bolt 88 to allow the valve rod to be rotated so the valve arrangement is turned from a position completely on to completely olf. Thus, as best seen in FIG. 4, the paint control hole 78 may be moved from alignment with the bore hole 67 to a position where the two holes do not coincide, in which position the paint ow is stopped or the paint control hole 78 may be moved to any intermediate position. Therefore, the paint ow from the container 42 is manually controllable in a reliable and simple manner from the crossbar 64 by rotating the valve rod 74 with the adjusting end 65 within the limits of rotation as provided by the slot 90. The bolt 69 is shown in FIG. 5 to maintain the tube 17 in its position over the upper extension 68.

Now that the controllable source of paint has been described, the remainder of the uniform paint distribution system will be described by referring to FIGS. l and 2. The paint spreader 80 includes a ring 92 held around the lower projection '70 with a force or frictional tit, for example. Attached to the ring 92 is a horizontal tube 94 which as shown in FIG. 2 extends between the vertical plates 14 and. 16 to within a short distance of the plates. The horizontal tube 94 includes an outer tube wall and an opening 96 at the top within the ring 92 to receive paint from the ring 92. The horizontal tube 94 has end plates 98 and 100 (FIG. 2) at the ends of the tube so as to form a receptacle for the paint. Thus, the horizontal tube 94 acts to receive paint and to transfer it across a desired width at right angles to the forward direction of movement of the paint striper as shown by the arrow 22. It is to be noted that the paint spreader 80 may be formed from a single aluminum casting.

A horizontal slot 104 is formed in the tube 94 approximately horizontal to a longitudinal center line 106 of the tube 94 and in a position in a forward direction as indicated by the arrow 22 from the longitudinal centerline 106. The horizontal slot 104 extends along the entire length of the tube 94 (FIG. 2) between the plates 14 and 16. Thus the paint which is transferred to the desired width at right angles to the forward direction of movement as indicated by the arrow 22, overflows through the horizontal slot 104 along the width between the plates 14 and 16.

Arranged below the tube 94 is a cylindrical feed roller 110 which is formed of a cellular plastic material 114 attached to a wood mounting sleeve 116. The cellular plastic material 114 may be a foamed plastic material, as well known in the art, or any cellular or sponge like material which has sponge like characteristics, that is will absorb and hold, a fluid such as paint. As well known in the art, the cellular material 114 is formed in the shape of a sleeve and is glued to the wood sleeve 116. Forced into position at each end of the inner opening of the wood sleeve 116 are plastic bearing sleeves 118 and 120.

The feed roller 110 is mounted to the vertical plates 14 and 16 by an axle 122 upon which the bearing sleeves 118 and 120 are rotatable. One end of the axle 122 passes through a vertical slot 124 in the vertical plate 14 and the other end of the axle 122 passes through a vertical slot 126 in the plate 16. As best seen in FIG. l, the vertical slots such as 124 are centered on a ver tical plane passing through the centerline 106 of the horizontal tube 94. It is to be noted that the axle 122 is freely movable in a vertical direction within the slots 124 and 126. The axle 122 is held from moving horizontally through the slots by suitable fasteners 128 and 130, which fasteners may be snap type fasteners formed from flat pieces of steel with a hole therethrough for being forced over the outer surface of the axle 1'22. The fasteners 128 and 130 are easily removable from the axle 122 so as to change feed rollers to form a stripe of a different width, as will be described subsequently. The bearing sleeves 118 and 120 extend beyond the ends of the cellular material 114 so as to contact the vertical plates 14 and 16 and to prevent the cellular material 114 from contacting the plates. Therefore, the feed roller 110 is freely rotatable and is freely movable, except for its gravity force, in a vertical direction as determined by the slots 124 and 126.

Mounted below the feed roller 11) is a forward surface roller or paint roller 134 and a rearward surface or paint roller 136. The paint rollers 134 `and 136 are similar in construction and material as the feed roller 110 and will not be described in detail. It is to be pointed out that a feature of this invention is the use of rollers of a desired material such as foamed plastic to evenly transfer paint to an uneven surface such as surface 19, with a minimum of wear of the rollers. The paint roller 134 is mounted on an axle 138 and the paint roller 136 is mounted on an axle 140. The axle 138 is positioned in bottom slots in the vertical plates 14 and 16 4as shown by the slot 127 in the vertical plate 14. 1n a similar manner the axle 140 is positioned in bottom slots in the vertical plates 14 and 16 as shown by :the slot 129 in the plate 16. The axle 138 and the bottom slots such as the slot 127 are i-n a position forward as indicated by the arrow 22 (FIG. l) from a vertical plane passing through the axle 122 of the feed roller 1111. The axle 140 and the bottom slots such as the slot 129 are in a position in a rearward direction (FlG. l) from a vertical plane passing through the axle 122 of the feed roller 1111. The paint rollers 134 and 136 are separated from each other as shown in FIG. l, but both contact and support the feed roller 110 at the contact points 142 and 1144.

The axles 138 and 140 are held within the bottom slots such as 127 and 129 by a leaf spring l146 and 148 at the bottom of 'the respective vertical plates 14 and 16. The leaf springs 146 and 148 are mounted to the vertical plates 14 and 16 by suitable bolts 150 and 1152 tapped into the respective plates. To maintain the axles 138 and 140 from moving in a direction between the vertical plates 14 and 16 snap fasteners such as 154, 156 and 158 are provided similar to the snap fasteners 128 and 130 of the fee-d roller 11). Snap fasteners 1154 and 156 are shown at the vertical plate 14 and 16 ends of the axle 14() (FIG. 2) and the snap fastener 158 is show-n in FIG. l for the axle 13S at the plate 14 end thereof. A similar snapl fas-tener (not shown) is at the plate 16 end of the axle 138. It is to be noted that the axles 138 and 140 are easily removable from their position in the bottom slots such as 1,27 and 129 when the paint striper device is lifted from the horizontal surface 19 since the leaf springs 146 and 148 are flexible. The paint rollers 134 and 136 are thus easily removable from their position in the bottom slots such as 127 and 129 so that they can be changed to other p-aint rollers for forming a stripe of a desired width.

The paint rollers 134 and 136 are normally maintained in a fixed vertical position with their bottom portions in forceful contact with the horizontal surface 19 as shown by the compressed surfaces 16()L and 162 of the paint rollers 134 and 136 It is to be pointed out that the caster wheel 40, the wheels 24 and 26 and the bottom slots such as 127 4and 129 have vertical posi-tions so that the paint rollers 134 and 136 have the compressed surfaces 160 and 162 in Contact wi-th the surface 19. Thus, as the surface striper of this invention is pushed in a forward direction as indicated by the arrow 22 (FIG. l) the paint rollers 134 and 136 roll in a direct-ion indicated by the arrows 164 4and 166 on the horizontal surface 19 to form a continual compressed surface 160i and 162. Therefore, because the paint rollers 134 and 136 roll freely on the surface 19, they wear very slowly having a long operative life.

The operation of the surface striper of this invention will now be described in greater detail 'by also referring to FIGS. 1 and 2. As discussed previously, the paint passing from the paint container 42 out of the bore hole 76 of the valve rod 74 is controllable from the crossbar handle `64 `from a full ow condition to a shut off condition. The paint passes into the ring 92 :and into the horizontal tube 94 as shown by the arrow 43 (FIG. l). The paint material then spreads in the horizontal tube 94 between the end plates 98 and 100 4as indicated by the paint surface (FIG. l). vFrom the horizontal tube 74, the paint continually overows uniformly and evenly along the entire width of the slot 104 between the plates 14 and 16, falling yupon the cellular material 114 at the outer surface of the feed roller 110 along its entire width between the vertical plates 14 and 16.

As the surface striper of this invention is vmoved in a forward direction as indicated by the arrow 22, the paint rollers 134 and 136 rotate in the direction as indicated by the arrows 164 and 166. Since the paint rollers 134 and 136 jointly support the feed roller 110, rotational movement is transferred thereto, and the paint roller 110' rotates in a direction indicated by the arrow 125. Thus, the paint from the slot 104 as indicated by the paint stream is evenly distributed on the outer surface of the feed roller as the paint striper moves forward. As discussed previously the paint flow is adjustable from the handle 64 so that the paint flow out of the slot 164 is easily controlled. The paint falling on the roller 110 from the slot 1014 is partly absorbed by the outer surface of the roller 110 and the remainder is retained as a paint film 123. A portion of the paint of the iilm 123 is transferred at the contact or supporting point 144 to the rearward paint roller 136. This transferred paint is also partly absorbed Iby the cellular material and is partly retained as a lm 145 by the paint roller 136. A portion of the paint of the film 123 is transferred in a similar manner at the contact `or supporting point 142 to the forward plaint roller 134 to be absorbed and to form Ia film 147. The paint absorbed by the paint rollers 136 and 134 as the paint of the films 145 and 147 is then evenly and continually transferred to the horizontal surface 19 as the cellular material of the paint rollers is compressed to act similar to a compressed sponge. A `feature o-f this invention is that the compressing action as shown by the compressed surfaces and 162 provides uniform distribution of paint over horizontal surfaces such as the surface 19 which is rough and uneven, since the compressed surfaces 160 and 1-62 conform yto variations of the horizontal surface 19.

Because the feed roller 110 is supported and is movable in a vertical direction except for its gravity force, the paint of the film 123 is normally transferred in a substantially equal proportion between the paint rollers 136 and 134 at the supporting points 144 and The paint roller 136 retains and absorbs that portion of the paint film 123 which itis capable of retaining. The remainder of the paint of the film 123 is transferred to the paint roller 134. Thus a wide variation of the paint flow of the paint stream 10S as controlled by the position of the valve rod 74 does not cause uneven distribution of paint on the horizontal surface 19. In operation the feed roller 114i moves in a vertical direction when the paint iilm 123 varies in thickness to allow excess paint to pass to the paint roller 134. Because both paint rollers absorb paint, and the feed roller moves upward when the film 123 is thicker, paint does not bunch at a point 147 as may result when the feed roller 110 is held in a fixed vertical position. If the feed roller 11i) did not have vertical movement, an increased quantity of paint caused by the valve setting or an increased quantity on the paint roller 136 caused by less utilization of paint by the surface 19 would be unable to pass to the paint roller 134 or 135 and would collect and fall to the surface 19. Also, because of the two paint rollers 136 and 134 `both absorbing paint, a wide variation of the paint supply and the amount utilized by the horizontal surface 19 is allowable without paint bunching on the feed roller 110, which condition would also lead to an uneven distribution on the surface 19 such as by the paint flowing thereto. Thus, the valve adjustment does not have to be exact to provide reliable operation. In practice it has been found that for normal operation a wide open adjustment of the valve of this invention forms a uniform stripe on the horizontal surface 19. Also the operation of transferring paint to the two paint rollers 136 and 134 for absorption and for the iilms 145 and 147 provides a uniform distribution of paint on the rollers and on the surface 19 to overcome any uneven distribution or bunching of paint which may occur by allowing paint to flow into the spreader 80| while the paint striper is not being moved along the horizontal surface 19.

Another feature of this invention is that a stripe may be formed on the horizontal surface 19 by removing and changing the spreading tube 80, the feed roller 11) and the paint rollers 134 and 136 to others which have any desired width. As discussed previously, all of these elements are easily removable from the frame 10. As also discussed the feed roller and paint rollers may be constructed with their cellular material 114 of any desired Width between the plates 14 and 16 and `a spreader tube such `as the spreader tube 80 may be constructed with the horizontal slot 104 of the similar desired width between the plates 14 and 15.

It is to be further noted that the paint container d2 is easily removable `from the plate 12, for cleaningT after being used. Also yas discussed above, the rollers and the spreader tube are easily removable and are thus easily cleaned after the paint striper of this invention has been used. Another feature of this invention is that it forms curved stripes on the horizontal surface 19 with even edges because of the compactness of the device and because of the flexibility of the cellular plastic material of the paint rollers 134 and 136. To form circular stripes a guiding bar (not shown) may be attached to the frame 10 at one end and at the center of the desired circle at the other end.

Thus, there has been described a simplified, long wearing and improved paint striper which forms a uniform and even stripe of paint or similar uid on a horizontal surface without requiring continual adjustment of the valve. The combination of two paint rollers and a oating feed roller acts to prevent bunching of paint and to provide uniform distribution to the surface to be striped. The paint flow is controllable from the handle and the device is simple and of narrow width so as to form stripes in small working areas. Also the paint rollers form stripes which have even edges because of the rolling action. Furthermore the device is easily convertible to form a stripe of any desired width.

What is claimed is:

1. A device movable along a horizontal surface for forming stripes of a uid thereon comprising a frame, a fluid container mounted on said frame, handle means mounted to said frame, valve means mounted on the bottom of said fluid container for controlling the flow of iiuid therefrom, said valve means being adjustable from said handle means, a spreader tube mounted to said valve means and having an opening at the top for receiving fluid therefrom and transferring said uid along a desired horizontal Width, said tube having a longitudinal axis parallel to said horizontal surface and including a horizontal slot along said width parallel to said longitudinal axis for passing said fluid therefrom, a plane disposed through the axis and the slot being parallel to said horizontal surface, a cylindrical feed roller of a cellular material mounted to said frame below and parallel to said slot for receiving uid therefrom, said roller being freely rotatable and being freely movable in a vertical direction, and first and second cylindrical surface rollers of a cellular material mounted to said frame below and parallel to said feed roller, said surface rollers being separated from each other and being adapted to jointly support said feed roller, said surface rollers being in contact with said horizontal surface for rolling thereon as said device moves, said feed roller thereby being rotated by said surface rollers as said device moves so that said uid from said feed roller is distributed to said first `and second surface rollers, and uniformly to said horizontal surface.

2. A surface marker comprising a container for holding a fluid and having a bottom with an outlet opening, a frame mounted below said container and having wheels for moving on said surface, a handle mounted on said frame, valve means mounted to said frame to control the flow of fluid from said outlet opening to a valve outlet, said valve means being adjustable from said handle, a spreading tube having a longitudinal centerline horizontally mounted in a position beneath said valve outlet, said tube having closed ends and having an opening at the top to receive `fluid from said valve outlet, said tube having a horizontal slot along an outer wall for passing said fluid out therefrom, said slot positioned on the side of said tube so that a plane disposed through said longitudinal centerline thereof and said slot is substantially parallel to the surface being marked, a feed roller with an outer surface of a cellular material and mounted to said frame, said feed roller having a longitudinal axis parallel to and below the longitudinal centerline of said spreading tube for receiving said fluid from said slot, said feed roller being freely movable in a vertical direction and being freely rotatable about said axis, said feed roller having a width along said axis thereof substantially equal to the length of said slot parallel to the centerline of said tube, and first and second surface rollers having outer surfaces of a cellular material and mounted to said frame, said surface rollers each having a longitudinal axis parallel to said longitudinal axis of said feed roller, said surface rollers mounted to said frame so that the longitudinal axis of each surface roller is positioned on different sides of a vertical plane parallel and through said longitudinal axis of said feed roller, to thereby jointly support said feed roller and to receive fluid therefrom, said first and second surface rollers being rotatable about the respective axis thereof and being in contact with said surface to be marked to uniformly transfer said fluid thereto.

3. A surface striper comprising a frame having wheels and being movable in a forward direction along a horizontal surface, said frame having first and second vertical plates parallel to the direction of movement, handle means mounted on said frame for moving said striper along said horizontal surface, a container mounted to said frame for storing striping iiuid and having a bottom with an opening therein, valve means mounted to the bottom of said container to control the fiow of fluid from said opening, a control rod mounted between said valve means and said handle means for adjusting the ow of fluid through said valve means, a horizontal spreader tube mounted to said frame and positioned between said vertical plates and below said valve means Iand having an opening at the top for receiving fluid from said valve means, said spreader tube having closed ends and having a longitudinal axis parallel to said horizontal surface and at right angles to the direction of movement of said striper, said spreader tube having a horizontal slot parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof so that a plane disposed through said axis and said horizontal slot is substantially parallel to said horizontal surface, said horizontal slot passing said fiuid therefrom, first and second vertical slots positioned in said first and second vertical plates beneath said horizontal slot, a fio-ating feed roller for receiving fiuid from said horizontal slot mounted in said first and second vertical slots and having a longitudinal axis parallel to the centerline of said spreader tube, said feed roller being freely movable in a vertical direction in said first and second vertical slots, said feed roller having a width along the axis thereof substantially equal to the length of said horizontal slot, and first and second surface rollers mounted to said first and second vertical plates beneath said feed roller so as to contact said horizontal surface, each surface roller having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said feed roller, said first and second surface rollers being respectively positioned in a forward and rearward direction from said feed roller to jointly support said feed roller and to receive fluid therefrom, said surface rollers rolling on said horizontal surface as said frame moves in `a forward direction, thereby providing distribution of fluid to both said first and second surface rollers and to said surface to be striped.

4. A device for marking a horizontal surface with stripes comprising a frame including a platform and two parallel vertical plates having one forward and two rearward wheels attached for moving along said surface, a handle mounted to s-aid platform, a first opening in said platform, a receptacle mounted to said frame having an outlet opening into said first opening, a second opening in said frame having one end connecting with said first opening, a third opening through said frame connecting with the other end of said second opening at right angles, a rotatable rod having a first end extending through said handle and a second end extending through said third opening, said rod having `a fourth opening at said second end with a fifth opening from the outer surface of said rod to said fourth opening and connectable with said second opening by rotating said rod from said handle, a spreader tube mounted to said platform, its longitudinal center line being horizontal and extending between said plates, said tube having its ends closed and an opening below said third opening and having a horizontal slot along its outer Wall parallel to the centerline thereof, said slot being positioned so that a plane disposed through the centerline of said tube and along said slot is parallel to the horizontal surface,` `a first cylindrical roller of a cellular plastic material mounted on an axle between said plates and below said slot said first roller being rotatable and being movable in a vertical direction, and second and third cylindrical rollers of a cellular plastic material mounted on axles between said plates for rolling on said surface as said device move along said surface, said second and third rollers being horizontally separated from each other and both supporting said feed roller so as to transfer rotational movement thereto as said second and third rollers roll on said surface.

5. A device for striping a surface with paint when being moved in a forward direction comprising a frame including a platform yand a first and a second vertical plate arranged parallel to each other with wheels for moving along said surface, receptacle means mounted on said platform for storing paint having an outlet at the bottom thereof, a handle mounted on said frame for providing a means for pushing said device along said surface, valve means mounted to said frame for controlling the fiow of paint from the outlet of said receptacle means, said valve means being adjustable from said handle, tubular means having its ends closed and mounted with its centerline horizontal and extending between said plates and having -an opening at the top for receiving paint from said valve means, said tubular means having a slot in its forward side parallel to its centerline for paint to flow evenly therefrom along its length, a first and a second cylindrical paint roller of a cellular material having axles mounted between said first and second vertical plates, one in a forward direction and one in a rearward direction from the centerline of said tube so as to roll on said surface as said device moves forward, a first and a second vertical slot formed in said vertical plates below the center line of said spreading tube, and a cylindrical feed roller of a cellular material having an axle positioned in said first and second slots so the outer surface of said feed rollers rests on the outer surfaces of said first and second paint rollers to receive rotational movement therefrom, whereby paint from said slot in said tubular means is received by said feed roller and uniformly distributed to said rotating first and second paint rollers when said device is moved forward to be rolled evenly on said surface to be striped.

6. A paint striper movable along a horizontal surface comprising a frame having wheels for .moving lalong said surface, receptacle means mounted to the top of said frame for storing paint and having an outlet at the bottom thereof, a handle mounted to said frame, valve means adjustable from said handle and adapted for controlling paint flow from the outlet of said receptacle means, a spreader tube having its longitudinal center line in a horizontal position and having its ends closed and an opening at the top, said spreader tube being mounted to said frame for receiving paint from said valve means into the top opening, said spreader tube having la slot in its walls for paint to fiow therefrom substantially parallel to the center line of said tube, said slot positioned in said tube so that a plane disposed through the centerline of said tube and through said slot is parallel to the horizontal surface, a cylindrical feed roller of cellular plastic material having an axle for rotating thereon mounted to said frame below and parallel to the center line of said tube for receiving paint from said slot and being freely movable in a vertical direction, said feed roller having a widthy along the axle thereof substantially equal to the length of said slot parallel to the centerline of said tube, and first and second cylindrical paint rollers of cellular plastic ymaterial having axles mounted to said frame below said feed roller parallel to said -axle of said feed roller, so as to jointly support said feed roller, said axle of said first and second paint roller being at a fixed angle on opposite sides of a vertical plane through the yaxle of said feed roller, said paint rollers having a width `along the axles 4thereof substantially equal to the width of said feed roller along the axle thereof, said paint rollers being adapted for rolling on said horizontal surface as said paint striper moves, to thereby jointly transfer rotational movement from said paint rollers to said feed roller when rolling on said horizontal surface to uniformly transfer a paint film from said feed roller to said first and second paint rollers and to said horizontal surface.

7. A vehicle having a forward direction of movement for forming stripes on :a horizontal surface comprising a frame including a platform and two vertical plates having one wheel in a forward position and two wheels in a rearward position, `a paint container mounted above said platform and having a bottom opening, a first vertical bore hole in said platform adapted to receive paint from said bottom opening, -a second bore hole from the side of said first bore hole in said platform, a third bore hole connected at right angles with said second bore hole, a handle mounted to said platform and extending in a rearward direction from said vehicle with a crossbar at the end thereof, a valve rod positioned in said third bore hole including a fourth bore hole at the end thereof and a fifth hole in the side connecting with said fourth bore hole and allignable with the said second bore hole, said rod extending in said handle to said crossbar so rotation of said valve rod controls paint flow from said second bore hole through said fifth bore hole and out said fourth bore hole, a spreader tube mounted to said platform with its centerline in a horizontal position and at right angles to the direction of movement of said vehicle and having an opening in the top thereof for receiving paint from said fourth bore hole and having a. horizontal slot along the side of said tube for overowing paint therefrom, said slot being in a plane horizontal with the centerline of said tube, a first and second cylindrical roller of a cellular material and having axles parallel to said centerline of said tube mounted between the lower portion of said vertical plates, one in a forward and one in a rearward direction from the center line of said spreading tube so as to roll on the surface when said vehicle moves in a for- Ward direction, a first and a second vertical slot in said vertical plates above said first and second paint rollers, and a cylindrical feed roller of a cellular material having an axle adapted to move vertically in said slots so said feed roller is supported by both said first and second paint rollers and so rotational movement is transferred from said paint rollers to said feed roller, said feed roller thereby receiving paint from said slot of said spreading tube and uniformly transferring it to said first and second rotating paint rollers so as to roll the paint evenly on the surface to be marked as said vehicle moves forward.

8. A device movable in a forward direction for striping a horizontal surface with a paint stripe of a desired width comprising a frame having two vertical plates mounted parallel to each other at a fixed distance from` each other and having wheels for moving along said horizontal surface, a source of paint mounted to said frame, valve means connecting to said source of paint for controlling the ow of paint therefrom, a horizontal tube having a desired width along the centerline of said tube and having the ends closed and an opening in the top, said tube being removably mounted to said frame to receive paint from said valve means, said tube having its center line extending lbetween said vertical plates and having an opening along the side of said tube approximately horizontal to said center line, `a first and a second vertical slot in said respective first and second plates below said horizontal tube, a cylindrical feed roller of a cellular material mounted to a sleeve means with a center axle for rotating thereupon, said feed roller being of a desired width, said axle mounted Within said first and second slots for moving freely in a vertical direction, the outer surface of said feed roller receiving paint from said tube, third and fourth vertical slots positioned in the bottom of said first and second plates in a forward direction from the horizontal position of said axle of said feed roller, fifth and sixth vertical slots in the bottom of said first and second vertical plates positioned in a rearward direction from the horizontal position of said axle of said feed roller, first and second cylindrical paint rollers of a cellular material mounted to a sleeve means with center axles for rotating thereon, the axle of one positioned through said third and fourth slots for being maintained in a fixed vertical position relative to said frame, the axle of the other being positioned through said fifth and sixth slots for being maintained in a fixed vertical position relative to said frame, said first and second paint rollers acting to support said feed roller to receive paint therefrom and being in contact with said horizontal surface for transferring paint thereto, and removable fastener means adapted for holding said axles of said feed rollers and said first and second paint rollers in said slots, said fastener means being manually removable, whereby said tube, said feed roller and said first and second paint rollers are removable from said frame.

9. A device for marking paint stripes on a horizontal surface and movable in a forward direction along said surface comprising a frame having a caster wheel mounted in a forward position and two wheels mounted in a rearward position thereof for moving on said surface, said frame having first and second vertical plates parallel to the direction of movement and separated by a selected distance, a paint receptacle mounted on top of said frame and having a receptacle opening at the bottom thereof, an operating handle attached and extending aft from said frame, valve means included in said frame for controlling the ow of paint fr'om said receptacle opening to a valve outlet, adjusting means mounted between said valve means and said operating handle for controlling said valve means therefrom, a spreader tube mounted on said frame and positioned with a longitudinal centerline in a horizontal position between said first and second vertical plates and at right angles to the direction of movement of said frame, said spreader tube having an opening for receiving the paint from said valve outlet, said tube being closed at each end for holding paint and having a horizontal slot in the wall approximately parallel to the centerline thereof, first and second vertical slots positioned respectively in said first and second vertical plates below said spreader tube, a cylindrical feed roller having an axle positioned in said first and second vertical slots substantially parallel to the centerline of said tube, said feed roller having freedom of movement in a vertical direction and having a cellular plastic material at the outer surface thereof for receiving and retaining paint from said slot, said feed roller having a width along said axle substantially equal to the length of said slot parallel to the centerline of said tube, and first and second cylindrical paint rollers each having an axle mounted to said frame parallel to the axle of said feed roller, said paint rollers having a cellular plastic material at the outer surface thereof for retaining paint and adapted to roll on said horizontal surface as said device is moved, said first and second paint rollers positioned in respective forward and rearward directions from a vertical plane parallel and through the axle of Said feed roller so that said first and second paint rollers vertically support said feed roller and transfer rotational movement thereto for transferring paint from said feed roller to said paint rollers, said paint being uniformly distributed from said rotating paint rollers to the surface to be v striped.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 247,710 Tappan Sept. 27, 1881 373,197 Rowe Nov. 15, 1887 504,718 Franke Sept. 12, 1893 533,413 Downton Jan. 29, 1895 642,367 Phillips et al Ian. 30, 1900 2,780,166 Wright Feb. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 542,202 Great Britain May 14, 1942 803,418 Great Britain Oct. 22, 1958 1,043,766 France June 17, 1953 1,159,307 France Feb. 10, 1958 

